{"id":30430,"date":"2024-03-07T11:36:13","date_gmt":"2024-03-07T06:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/pelicans-zion-williamson-commits-to-slam-dunk-contest-pending-nba-all-star-selection\/"},"modified":"2024-03-07T11:36:13","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T06:06:13","slug":"pelicans-zion-williamson-commits-to-slam-dunk-contest-pending-nba-all-star-selection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/pelicans-zion-williamson-commits-to-slam-dunk-contest-pending-nba-all-star-selection\/","title":{"rendered":"Pelicans&#8217; Zion Williamson commits to slam dunk contest, pending NBA All-Star selection"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gating gated-overlay\">\n<div class=\"article-gating-wrapper\">\n<p>Join Fox News for access to this content<\/p>\n<p>Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account &#8211; free of charge.<\/p>\n<p><span>Please enter a valid email address.<\/span><\/p>\n<footer class=\"article-gating-footer\">\n<div class=\"article-gating-legal\">By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News&#8217; Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. To access the content, check your email and follow the instructions provided.\n      <\/div>\n<p> Having trouble? Click here.<\/footer>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"speakable\">New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was the top overall draft pick in 2019. The 23-year-old forward has been named to two NBA All-Star teams, despite dealing with injuries for the majority of his professional basketball career.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">Williamson was mostly healthy during the 2020-21 season, when he appeared in 61 games. He averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. He earned All-Star honors for his performance that season. He has also been mostly available this season, appearing in 51 of the Pelicans&#8217; games so far.<\/p>\n<p>Despite averaging 22.1 points and 5.1 assists this season, Williamson was not an All-Star selection. The NBA recently implemented rules that require players to play a minimum number of games in order to qualify for major awards such as MVP. But, it appears Zion has his sights set on being named to the All-Star team for a third time in his career.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/343\/192\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/686\/384\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/672\/378\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1344\/756\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/931\/523\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1862\/1046\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/720\/405\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1440\/810\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1200\/675\/zion-williamson1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Zion Williamson free throw\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans prepares to shoot a free throw during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 2, 2023 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<\/span> <span>(Jesse D. Garrabrant\/NBAE via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Williams vowed to participate in the NBA Slam Dunk competition, but only if he was selected as an All-Star.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I\u2019ve got to do my part and make the All-Star Game. If I&#8217;m in the All-Star Game, I&#8217;ll do the dunk contest,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But if I&#8217;m not, I&#8217;m not doing it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>STEPHEN A. SMITH CLARIFIES COMMENTS ON ZION WILLIAMSON, TAKES AIM AT PELICANS&#8217; LACK OF PLAYOFF SUCCESS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The overall appeal of the dunk contest has decreased significantly in recent years as NBA stars have opted out of the competition. However, Williamson&#8217;s contingent commitment is the latest sign that star players&#8217; interest in the competition might be on the rise.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/343\/192\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/686\/384\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/672\/378\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/1344\/756\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/931\/523\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/1862\/1046\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/720\/405\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/1440\/810\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/1200\/675\/zion-ist.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Zion Williamson dribbles\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans drives against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half of the West semifinal game of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Lakers defeated the Pelicans 133-89.<\/span> <span>(Ethan Miller\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown participated in this year&#8217;s dunk contest, but G League player Mac McClung ultimately won his second consecutive contest.<\/p>\n<p>Williamson remains one of the most explosive, above-the-rim athletes in the league. He routinely throws down highlight reel worthy dunks during Pelicans games.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Prior to Brown&#8217;s participation in last month&#8217;s contest, DeAndre Jordan&#8217;s 2017 performance marked the last time an All-Star competed in the dunk contest.<\/p>\n<p><i><strong>Follow Fox News Digital\u2019s<\/strong><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FoxNewsSports_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><strong><u>\u00a0sports coverage on X<\/u><\/strong><\/i><\/a><i><strong>\u00a0and subscribe to<\/strong><\/i><i><strong><u>\u00a0the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter<\/u><\/strong><\/i><i><strong>.<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/>[ad_2]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Join Fox News for access to this content Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account &#8211; free of charge. 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